IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishbe in for a rude awakening
Meaning: To be about to discover an unpleasant truth.
Example: “Anyone expecting cheap rents in that city is in for a rude awakening.”
Origin: A sleeper woken suddenly and roughly. "Rude" here keeps its older sense of harsh or abrupt. The phrase is common from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
German: Sein blaues Wunder erleben Literally: To experience your blue wonder
More English idioms
- be over the moon Absolutely delighted.
- rub salt in the wound To make someone's pain or humiliation worse.
- tread on someone's toes To offend someone, especially by interfering in what they see as their business.
- get under someone's feet To be in the way while someone is trying to work.
- been there, done that Said of an experience one already knows well, often with a shrug.
- think outside the box To find an unconventional solution.
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